Costa Rica Takes Bold and Decisive Stance on Cybersecurity

Arlington, VA (September 06, 2023) – The Telecommunications Industry Association—the trusted industry association for the connected world— today announced its support for the recent actions by the Costa Rican government to enhance its national cybersecurity posture.

During a recent meeting at the White House, U.S. President Joe Biden and Costa Rica’s President Rodrigo Chaves discussed the importance of bilateral cybersecurity cooperation. President Chaves emphasized Costa Rica’s determination to “lead by example” following a series of disruptive attacks on its government systems in 2022 that impacted critical infrastructure.

The new actions by the Costa Rican government include:

• firm commitment to partnering with trusted providers in their upcoming 5G tender and auctions and procuring 5G telecommunications equipment from companies in democratic countries.
• issuing security guidance that mandates vendors to be certified against a range of standards, including the first-ever Supply Chain Security Management standard for the ICT industry – TIA SCS 9001^TM – demonstrating Costa Rica’s unwavering dedication to ensuring the highest level of national security.
• establishing a state-of-the-art national cybersecurity operations center, which has received invaluable support from the U.S. government.

“This strategic approach to securing its critical infrastructure by design reflects Costa Rica’s forward-thinking mindset and strengthens the foundation for a technologically advanced future,” said Dave Stehlin, CEO, TIA. “We commend the Costa Rican and U.S. governments as they each demonstrate leadership in the critical area of cyber and supply chain risk management.”

For questions or more information about SCS 9001 and how to participate in the supply chain work group, contact supplychainsecurity@tiaonline.org.